Man pleads not guilty in brawl stabbing

Monday

Feb 24, 2014 at 1:37 PMFeb 24, 2014 at 1:37 PM

JOSE QUINTERO

VICTORVILLE • The Barstow man accused of stabbing another man during a large brawl last week has pleaded not guilty.

During his arraignment on Friday at the Victorville courthouse, Andrew Perez appeared via video conference and pleaded not guilty to assault with a deadly weapon, court records show. If Perez, 20, is convicted, he could face up to four years in state prison and it would count as a felony strike on his record.

Police say Perez stabbed 22-year-old Matthew Chambers twice during a scuffle that involved approximately 20 people in a residential neighborhood in the 200 block of West Buena Vista Street on Feb. 19.

Perez allegedly stabbed Chambers in the chest and stomach with a large kitchen knife. Perez fled the scene before returning to surrender to authorities.

He told authorities he acted in self-defense, according to a BPD news release.

Perez is currently being held at the High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto in lieu of $150,000 bail and is scheduled to appear at the Victorville courthouse on March 3, court records show.

Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to call the Barstow Police Department at 760-256-2211. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the WeTip Hotline at 800-782-7463.

Jose Quintero can be reached at 760-256-4122 or JQuintero@DesertDispatch.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at @JoseQuinteroDD.